Quick and Easy Buying Guide
Carat weight: 1 carat = 200 milligrams = 6.5 mm diameter. Doubling weight doesn't double diameter.
Diamond clarity: FL/IF/VVS/VS = super expensive, near perfect. SI = best value if you can check a photo for obvious inclusions (defects).
Color: D-G = colorless, expensive, only if you have money to burn. H-J = best value. Can go lower in gold metal settings than white metal.
Cut: Better cut ratings let more light into a diamond, making it sparkle more. Very important property, don't skimp here.
Set a budget and minimum cut (Premium). Go J color for gold and I/H for white metals. Go searching for SI1/SI2 clarity diamonds at James Allen. Pick a diamond with small/no inclusions. Choose a ring setting and buy it risk-free (60-day returns).
The Jewellery Exchange
The Jewellery Exchange is a very large United States diamond importer. It has a number of names including Goldenwest Diamond Corporation, the Jewellery Exchange, Jewellery Source and the Jewellery Factory.
Sponsored Links
The company CEO and president Bill Doddridge initially worked in a couple of pawnshops. In the mid-1980s he started his own business importing diamonds directly from Israel. In the early 90s he opened a number of additional stores and the company now has a store in just under 20 major cities in the United States.
The jewellery Exchange doesn't only import jewellery but also manufactures at themselves. This allows them to pass on the savings from avoiding a middleman.
They have a wide range of diamonds which you can search using their online loose diamonds search facility. As of this writing they had 7496 round shape diamonds and 3983 Princess shape diamonds, just to give two examples.
Their online website is quite extensive and
as well as allowing you to search for loose diamonds, has extensive information
on a wide range of jewellery products they offer as well as their company
history.